Its being stated that Christianity is at an all time low in America. Granted these statistics are coming from biased news media agencies, to a certain extent I agree and to another I don’t.

I disagree because Christianity, including all denominations, is still the largest faith group in America. Though Islam and Atheism is on the rise and Christianity is unfortunately on the decline among Americans between the ages of 18 – 30. You can find a Church almost everywhere. In my area there is a Church on every street corner, literally. Some Churches are packed out, others not. In my time as a Pastor I have seen plenty of people turn to Christ. Christianity is still alive and well, regardless of how the mainstream media tries to portray the faith.

However, I agree with the claim because more and more Christians are accepting an increasingly watered-down version of Christianity and are using an increasingly watered-down Bible as they come out. Pastors are increasingly preaching a watered-down Christianity to keep their Church packed.

Yes, Pastors get paid by the congregants much like a business owners paycheck comes from customers. However, to sway from Truth for the mighty dollar is not what Christ commanded nor would He condone such an act.

People believe they need these “easier-to-read” Bibles because they have been brainwashed the KJV is too hard to read. Pick-up a traditional, authorized version of the KJV and skim through it. You will be amazed at how many phrases used today were first used thousands of years ago and are in the Bible.

While Christianity continues to be the largest faith in America, soon enough mainstream media’s claim that Christianity no longer has a hold on America will be true. Why? As stated above more and more people are leaving the Church between the ages of 18-30. This is primarily because their not being spiritually fed by the Pastor and/or the Pastor stopped preaching Truth for a more watered-down politically-correct variation of Christianity. People want to know the real God, the true Jesus. They want to know their Pastor is a leader, not a follower. They want answers, not repetive rhetoric. And from my personal experience growing up in the Church, they want to feel welcome and alive, not be so bored listening to a mono-tone 2hr long sermon that puts them to sleep.

Pastors need to be strong in their stance with Christ. Pastors need to understand that being a good leader will anger some, but they’ll appreciate the honesty and will return. People don’t want to be put to sleep. People don’t want to be spoken to as children and forced to deal with “God said so” as an end-all response. People want an explanation. People do not want to be told they cannot be saved.

If Christianity is going to survive this constant onsluaght and bigotry a few things must be done:
1) Pastors need to stand firm with Christ. Stop giving into govt and political-correctness.
2) Stop leading people to believe they cannot be saved. Explain to them what exactly and why God doesn’t like what it is they are doing. Then be there for them every step of the way. Help them along in their walk with Christ.
3) Christians must let their pastors know when they are going astray and demand them return to the Word of God.
4) Pastors if you choose the politically-correct road for funding, not only are you leading people away from Christ, your condemning yourself to Hell. Rather than cave into political-correctness, have a few fundraisers. Explain to your congregation your problems. Ask them for help.
If your going politically-correct simply out of fear of the govt shutting you down, un-incorporate. You do not need incorporation status for tax-exemption.
5) Christians must stick together. Stop this belief your denomination is the true or only denomination. The only true Church is that of Jesus Christ that He created. Help each other out. Standby your Pastor if he’s being assaulted by the govt or atheist organizations.
6)Most importantly preach the Gospel. Pastor or not, we were all called to preach the Gospel to the world. Teach your family, friends, and co-workers about Christ. Invite them to your Church. If your Church went astray, bring them back to Christ. If they’re too resistant after a few attempts, leave and find a Church where you feel Gods presence.

Only if we stand together and stand firm in Truth and stay on our walk with Jesus, can this nation be saved.

Introducing the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act
July 10, 2012 1:59 PM
By Kathryn Jean Lopez
The Original Article Can Be Found Here

In the House of Representatives today, Tennessee congresswoman Diane Black and Wisconsin congressman James Sensenbrenner, two Protestant lawmakers, are introducing the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act, seeking to repeal the fine on faith the Obama administration’s abortion-inducing drug, contraception, and sterilization mandate imposes.

“With the HHS mandate, the administration has set up an impossible choice for many religious affiliated institutions: either violate the law and pay a tax, or violate your conscience,” Black says. “This means some of the most respected parochial schools, hospitals, soup kitchens, and universities across our country will have to choose between violating their faith to keep their doors open or paying a potentially devastating tax.”

Some of those schools and other religiously affiliated service organizations are right in Congress’s backyard. “We have nearly 100 schools educating nearly 28,000 kids,” Donald Cardinal Wuerl of Washington, D.C., pointed out in a recent interview. In “the poorest part of the District of Columbia, we have 800 kids who simply need help getting an education.” It’s work that is being “compromised simply because we have a new definition of what constitutes religious liberty,” he told me.

“Never before in our nation’s history has there been a mandate forcing individuals to violate their deeply held religious beliefs or pay a tax,” Black said today. On the religious-liberty front, nothing has changed since the Supreme Court’s health-care ruling, because that decision “leaves intact a serious assault on our religious freedoms — the controversial HHS mandate that requires employers to provide drugs and services in their employee health-care plans regardless of religious objections to those services,” she said.

Black echoed remarks she made at forum at Georgetown University just before Independence Day, calling the president’s health-care legislation “an unprecedented assault on our First Amendment right to religious freedom.”

“Obamacare has handed over an immense regulatory power to the Department of Health and Human Services to control just about every aspect of health care in our country,” Black said at Georgetown. As we have seen, some of that unfettered power is being used to force religious organizations to violate their conscience and to pay for insurance plans that cover contraceptives and also abortion-inducing drugs.”

“The public outcry against the HHS mandate has been undeniable,” Black said, citing protests outside the Department of Health and Human Services and throughout the country, and lawsuits seeking to protect Americans against the coercive mandate. “Whether you’re Catholic or not . . . . we are all threatened by this . . . as people of faith, any of us could be next.

“Despite this outpouring of objection,” she added, “the Obama administration recklessly has continued down that path of placing unjustifiable burdens on . . . religious and moral conscience. Some in the administration have sought to divide our opposition. They want us to believe it is just a Catholic matter, with the bishops, and have even talked about it as a war on women.”

The text of the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act seeks “to exempt employers from any excise tax and certain suits and penalties in the case of a failure of a group health plan to provide coverage to which an employer objects on the basis of religious belief or moral conviction.”

It is frankly outrageous that it has come to this — that Congress has to work to dismantle what will be crippling fines on faith for indispensible religious organizations.

It joins bipartisan efforts to protect conscience rights — once itself a bipartisan consensus — most notably lead by Representative Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, who is supporting the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act.

“The rule put forth by the Department of Health and Human Services must not stand,” Speaker of the House John Boehner has said of the HHS Mandate. “The Obama administration must reevaluate this decision and reverse it. If it does not, I believe the United States Congress, acting on behalf of the American people, will.”

[This article may be reproduced provided it is reproduced in its entirety, including this notice. It may not be reproduced for resale. The printed pamphlet is available from Logos Communication Consortium, Inc. P. O. Box 173, Oak Creek, WI 53154.]

What Makes Christmas Important?

IS IT THE DATE?
Some mistakenly think that December 25th was the day Christ was born. The honest truth is, that no one is exactly sure when Christ was born. The Bible is strangely silent on the issue!

Let me share with you some interesting historical notes. Did you know that the Apostolic and early churches did not even celebrate the birthday of Christ? The only recognition of his birth that I have been able to find was a century after Christ had ascended to heaven. An early churchman from Rome urged the people in his congregation to sing musical prayers, praising God for the birth of the Lord Jesus. No specific date was connected with his encouragement.

It is curious to note that Eastern Orthodox Churches believe Christ was born on January 6th and Armenian Churches celebrate his birth on January 19.

One Bible Scholar, Frank R. Klassen, believes that Christ was born on April 1, 5 B.C. In fact it is his theory that this accounts for “APRIL FOOLS’ DAY,” because those who remembered Christ’s real birthday were heckled as “APRIL FOOLS.”

Is that possible? I can tell you this from my research. .. No one is able to determine the origin of April Fools’ Day! It IS possible, yet no one knows for sure.

HOW DID CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS ON DECEMBER 25TH GET STARTED?
Many Roman Catholics would like to point to Pope Liberius, who in 354 A.D. decreed Christmas to be celebrated December 25th. In reality it was the Roman Emperor, Constantine who declared December 25th to be Christ’s birthday in the year 336 A.D. What was his reason for this? It was based on political pressure! Many zealous church members urged the decree.

Why December 25th? That day was already observed as a heathen holiday…”THE FEAST OF SATURN, BIRTHDAY OF THE UNCONQUERED SUN.” This pagan feast began two weeks of festivities which included feasting, drinking, abstention from work, special musical presentations and the exchanging of gifts.

You will remember that Constantine was the first “Christian” emperor of the Roman Empire. As a result of a vision of the cross, inscribed with “In hoc signo vinces” which in Latin means by this emblem shalt thou conquer in 312 A.D., Constantine gave full support to Christianity and proclaimed it the official religion of the Empire. It is said he even ordered his army to ride on horseback through a river to “baptize” them into Christianity. It was Constantine’s desire to “Christianize” December 25th so that people would not have to lose a holiday and could honor Christ, the Light Of The World instead of the pagan god Saturn and the Sun!

You can see December 25th is a MIXED BAG. It is NOT the day that makes Christmas Important!!!

WHAT ABOUT THE NAME?
Where did the name “Christmas” come from? It comes from the Latin “Christes Masse” of Christ’s Mass. This grew out of the Roman Catholic feast day by that name in the A.D. 1 00’s. “Christmas” is not found in the Bible, nor is it a prescribed scriptural holy day.

It is NOT the NAME that makes Christmas important! So what makes it important?

IS IT SANTA CLAUS?
This “Jolly Old Wit” never existed. How did we get him then? Well, it took a lot of beating around the bush actually. Here’s how it goes . . . There was a churchman named Nicholas in Myra, which is in Asia Minor. He lived in the A.D. 300’s. Not a lot is known about Nicholas, except he gave his possessions to the poor children in his parish. He was “sainted” supposedly because he brought two children back to life who had been viciously murdered. ln medieval times he was the Roman Catholic Patron Saint of children, merchants and seafarers.

St. Nicholas had a special day December 6th, which coincided with an ancient Roman Holiday at which time secret gifts were given. I have been unable to find any information revealing when this Roman tradition of secret gift giving was transferred to Christmas day with “Saint Nick” regarded as the giver. But it seems that the transition took place in Colonial American times.

We do know the Dutch brought him to the American Colonies as “Sante Niklass” . . shortened and run together, forming SanteKlas or Santa Claus as we say it today. Dutch children expected the friendly fellow to visit them on the eve of December 5th and would place their wooden shoes in front of the fireplace to be filled with goodies by the next morning.

The belief that Santa Claus enters the house through the chimney developed from an old Norse legend. The Norse believed that the pagan goddess Hertha appeared in the fireplace and brought good luck to the home.

It was not until relatively recently that our present day Santa Claus really developed as we know him. In 1822 an American minister named Clement C. Moore first described Santa complete with fur-trimmed suit and his reindeer powered sleigh, for his children in a poem called “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” In 1823, at the bidding of friends, Moore published his poem calling it “THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS” in the Troy, New York Sentinel. This well loved poem is the foundation of our present day Santa Claus.

As interesting as the Santa Claus is, and the history surrounding him, it is NOT SANTA that makes Christmas important!

ARE THE TRADITIONS OF CHRISTMAS WHAT MAKES IT IMPORTANT?
There are many interesting traditions that surround the Christmas season. You could write an entire book on them. I want to consider just a few of them and explain their origin.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE
An early Roman ritual was to exchange green tree branches on January 1. They believed this would bring them good luck.

The Scandinavian people once worshipped evergreen trees. They believed godlike spirits inhabited them so people brought trees into their homes to please the spirits and seek their blessing. When the Gospel of Christ reached the Scandinavian people they made the evergreen tree part of their Christian Festivals.

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah also mentions ancient pagans making idols out of trees and worshipping them. in Jeremiah 10:3-5. This is a reference to Asherah poles, not the “Christmas” tree.

But how did the “Christmas Tree” get to where it is today? Germans are responsible for bringing the Christmas tree to the New World. The German theologian and reformer Martin Luther (14831546) was perhaps the one who popularized the “Christmas Tree” as we know it. The tale goes . . . One clear, brisk Christmas Eve, Martin Luther was walking home under the starstudded sky. It was so wonderful. As he walked he tried to think how he could catch the beauty of that eve and bring it home to his children. Suddenly he thought of a large evergreen tree gleaming with candles. He proceeded to find a tree, cut it down and take it home to decorate it. His children were delighted.

Hence we have the beginnings of our modern day “Christmas Tree” with all the trimmings.

As interesting and beautiful as Christmas Trees are, they are NOT the reason Christmas is important!

MISTLETOE
No one seems to know how it became a part of Christmas. Originally it was a pagan symbol of erotic passions. Ancient Celtic, Druid Priests (witches of sorts) used it as a charm to symbolize erotic passions.

Primitive Britons thought it possessed magical healing properties, while early Romans regarded mistletoe as a symbol of peace and goodwill.

Somehow from all of this came our modern custom that a woman passing under it should be kissed and if unmarried it was a sign that she was soon to marry.

This certainly is NOT what makes Christmas important!

YULE LOGS
It was the ancient custom of the Norse and Anglo-Saxons to burn a huge oak log once a year in honor of “THOR — God Of Thunder. “When these people were reached with the Gospel of Salvation in Christ Jesus, they “Christianized” this custom and made it a part of their Christmas, Yuletide traditions.

There IS more to Christmas than burning a big log … surely!

THE CHRISTMAS CARD.
Are these little jewels what makes Christmas special? This year Americans will spend close to $1 billion on the cards and another $500 million for mailing them! Wow . . . ouch! Yet it was not until 1 865 that Louis Prang of Boston printed and sold Christmas Cards in the United States.

Is that what makes Christmas important?

IS IT THE SPIRIT OF GIVING?
Many will agree that this practice has gotten somewhat out of hand. Christmas is over commercialized. The “spirit of indulgence” has become the rule, with credit card bills to prove it. Christmas is the MERCHANTS DELIGHT and the CLERK’S DESPAIR, not to mention the post Christmas return rat race! $10 billion will likely be spent in America this Christmas for over 1 billion gifts, plus $150 million worth of wrapping paper. Don’t even ask me about the booze that will be bought and consumed between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

What would the Puritans of early America say if they saw Christmas today? In colonial times they called its celebration “Romish Rags” because of the features of paganism it involved. They even passed “Blue Laws” forbidding the keeping of Christmas, making minced pies and cooking plum pudding. A little harsh? I think so! But the big question still remains. WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS SPECIAL?

Strip off the day, the name, Santa and the reindeer, the tree, mistletoe, Yule logs, cards and all the commercialization and what do you have left? Some would say, “Just one BIG EXCEDRIN HEADACHE!” And they would be partially right, because when it comes right down to it, for many, December 25th is just an excuse to have a party, get drunk, spend money they don’t have or need elsewhere, overeat and take time off work. For others it is a time of “Christmas Neurosis,” loneliness, fear, despondency and emotional stress.

Why not chuck the whole mess in the trash can?

Simply because Christmas is more than a day of traditionalism, commercialism, materialism and indulgence. CHRISTMAS REVOLVES AROUND A PERSON, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO EXALT HIM AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE WORLD. CHRIST IS WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!

Christmas in this day has come to include Christ, at least in some measure, despite those who would try to isolate Him from it. The world is at least aware of Christ. Millions sing Philips Brooks’ lovely verses, “O little town of Bethlehem… O come to us, be born in us, our Lord Immanuel.” Millions more will repeat, “unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. And His name shall be called WONDERFUL… ”

Don’t abandon Christmas & don’t be overcome with the evils of its abuse, rather overcome the evils with good (Romans 12:21). Look at Christmas as an opportunity to EXALT CHRIST. I am reminded of Paul’s letter to the Roman believers dealing with “special days –Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

It is not the day that is important, nor the customs that are observed. What IS IMPORTANT is revealed in the next verse, He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it…Romans 14:6 If we are going to celebrate Christmas, we are to celebrate it in a Christ honoring way! This is what has happened much of the time concerning Christmas. When the Gospel of Christ reached pagan people they “Christianized” their traditions and redirected them to point to Christ. I do not necessarily agree with the reemphasis in some cases but I do know Christ is to be lifted up, magnified & exalted. Today we need to do the same…PUT CHRIST IN FIRST PLACE. Make HIM preeminent. because HE IS WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS IMPORTANT.

CONSIDER WHY CHRIST MAKES CHRISTMAS IMPORTANT
The “Greatest Gift” of Christmas is Christ. Matthew 1:21 tells US why — “…call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Again in Matthew 1:23 we find that he was to be called EMMANUEL, which means “God with us.” Christ was born of the Virgin Mary as God in human form to save us from the guilt, penalty, power and ultimately the presence of sin. This is why the Apostle Paul referred to Christ as the “Unspeakable Gift” in 2 Corinthians 9:15. Even the Apostle John tells us why Christ came “. . .the Father sent the Son (Christ) to be the Savior of the world (mankind) . . for God so loved the world (mankind),that he GAVE his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I John 4: 14 and John 3:16. Dr. Luke wrote “For unto YOU is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:1 1. Christ is the ONLY Savior! Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

DO YOU NEED A SAVIOR?
You do if you are a human being! Why? “Because all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

“The wages of sin is death; but the GIFT OF GOD is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

Christmas can mean forgiveness of YOUR sins and an abundant NEW LIFE for you. If you have not received Jesus Christ, the risen Son of God, God in the flesh, why don’t you ask Him to forgive your sins .. why don’t you repent and turn to Christ and ask Him to Save you right now?

SUGGESTED PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I now choose to turn from my sins and open my life and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life and help me to be the kind of person you want me to be. Amen.

Does this prayer express your personal desire? If so, pray it sincerely and Jesus Christ will come into your life as he promised. The Bible says in John 1:12 “But as many as received him (Christ),to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

A CHRISTMAS PLAN
Oh, one other thing. Why not get your Bible out this Christmas season and read the account of Christ’s Birthday found in Matthew 1:18 to 2:23 and Luke 1:26 to 2:20. Read it to the whole family too.

SUMMARY
What makes Christmas important? THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

“Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21.

As you may well already know America is under attack. As many of you should know, Christianity is also under attack. It hasn’t reached the severity of the Mid-East region just yet, but that day is surely coming. The CUFC will be hosting numerous events to bring awareness to the situation.
There have already been instances where Crosses were court-ordered to be removed from private property; Bible Study in homes fined thousands of dollars; Churches shutdown; and the list goes on. This was all in America just within the past two years alone. The FFRF, an atheist organization, has already started there attacks on Christmas this year as early as April.
Satan has an ever growing army in America. We must fight back and defend our heritage, morals, and values. If we continue to sit back we will surely lose our Freedom, America, and Christianity may become illegal to practice.

If you truly believe yourself to be Christian, have the Holy Spirit within, and are willing to do as asked by Jesus Himself; We need you. The CUFC is brand-new and we are looking for Christian individuals willing to join our team and help us take back America and save Christianity.

Email us at christiansunitedforchrist@yahoo.com if you are interested in joining the CUFC team.

As CUFC’s first goal to bring awareness to the ongoing assault on Christmas and “Put Christ Back In CHRISTmas” We will be posting news and court cases to inform of recent attacks on Christmas, and in turn Christianity, to the CUFC blog and facebook page.

If you have any information please feel free to post it to our facebook page Here